[con.sen.sus] n, often attrib [L, fr. consentire] (1858) 1 a: general agreement: unanimity "the ~ of their opinion, based on reports ... from the border --John Hersey" b: the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned "the ~ was to go ahead"
2: group solidarity in sentiment and belief usage The phrase consensus of opinion, which is not actually redundant (see sense 1a; the sense that takes the phrase is slightly older), has been so often claimed to be a redundancy that many writers avoid it. You are safe in using consensus alone when it is clear you mean consensus of opinion, and most writers in fact do so.